May 31, 2012

Israel Acts Weak

Palestinians welcome terrorists' bodies

Special ceremony held at Ramallah's Mukataa after Israel transfers 79 terrorists' bodies to PA in gesture to Abbas; 12 more bodies transferred to Gaza
Elior Levy

Palestinians in Ramallah welcomed the bodies of terrorists handed over to the Palestinian Authority by Israel on Thursday. A total of 91 bodies were handed over in a gesture to President Mahmoud Abbas.

Some 2,000 people, including the terrorists' family members, attended a ceremony in the Mukataa.

The ceremony was attended by Palestinian leaders, including Abbas, as well as clerics headed by Jerusalem mufti Muhammad Hussein, who held a requiem.

Among the guests were also Hamas members and prisoners released as part of the Shalit deal. The terrorists' relatives hailed the martyrs and members of Hamas' military wing. They also spoke out against Israel and cried "One million martyrs march to Jerusalem."

"Until now, the martyrs were numbers to the Zionists and now they will revert to names of heroes," one Palestinian said.

The terrorists' coffins were covered in Palestinian flags and placed in the Mukataa's central square. The seven terrorists who carried out the Savot Hotel attack in Tel Aviv in 1975 were given a special honor.

Each of the seven coffins was carried by six members of the presidential guard. Abbas laid a wreath on the coffins and volley shots were fired by the guards of honor. The bodies were then transported for burial by PA cars.

The bodies of 79 terrorists were transferred to the PA via the Beit El crossing on Thursday morning. Later, a truck carrying the bodies of 12 other terrorists headed towards the Gaza Strip via the Erez Crossing where a military ceremony was held.

The bodies were then taken to Gaza's Shifa hospital. A prayer service was later held at a Gaza mosque before the bodies were buried.

Israel is set to transfer dozens of additional bodies to the PA in the coming weeks.

Why

May 30, 2012

Stupid Should Hurt

PA to honor suicide bombers, terrorists
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
30/05/2012
IDF will deliver bodies to representatives of PA, which will hold a national rally in honor of "martyrs."

The Palestinian Authority leadership is planning to honor the remains of Palestinian suicide bombers and terrorists with full military services in Ramallah.

The IDF will deliver the bodies to representatives of the PA on Thursday, PA Minister for Prisoners Affairs, Issa Qaraqi, said.

He said that the PA would hold a "national rally" in the Mukata presidential compound in Ramallah in honor of the "martyrs." The rally will be attended by PA President Mahmoud Abbas, PLO leaders and families of the Palestinians who were killed in suicide bombings and other terror attacks over the past three decades.

Qaraqi said that after the ceremony the bodies will be sent to their hometowns, where each one will be buried in a military funeral.

He said that 17 bodies whose hometowns were unknown will be buried in a Ramallah cemetery, also in full military funerals.

Another 12 bodies will be transferred for burial in the Gaza Strip, the minister added.

Qaraqi called on Palestinians to consider Thursday a day of celebration for the return of the "martyrs" to their families.

The repatriation of the bodies is part of a goodwill gesture to Abbas.

The list of names includes several suicide bombers who carried out the attacks at Cafe Hillel and the no. 2 bus in Jerusalem.

Israel will also hand over the remains of Hassan Sarahneh, who blew himself up at a hitchhiking post in Ashkelon in 1996, killing a female soldier.

Israel will also transfer the remains of Nasim Ja'bari and Ahmed Qawassmeh, the two suicide bombers who killed 16 people on two buses in Beersheba in 2004.

The list also includes Abdullah Badran, a suicide bomber who killed four Israelis at Tel Aviv's Stage nightclub in 2005, Hiba Daraghmeh, the female suicide bomber who blew herself up at a mall in Afula in 2003, killing three people, Hassan Abu Said, the Islamic Jihad terrorist who blew himself up at an open-air market in Hadera in 2005, killing five people and Labib Azzam, who in 1995 murdered five Israelis and injured 23 others in Ramat Gan.

In addition, Israel will hand over the remains of the terrorists who carried out the Savoy Hotel attack in 1975, killing eight hostages.
http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=272059
If we are really this stupid, I have to ask a painful question.

PA President spokesman: state created by unilateral Israeli withdrawal unacceptable - must have eastern Jerusalem

RAMALLAH, May 30, 2012 (WAFA) - Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh
Wednesday told WAFA that any Israeli unilateral measure leading to the
establishment of a state with temporary borders is unacceptable.

Abu Rudeineh’s statements came in response to earlier statements by the
Israeli Minister of Defence, Ehud Barak, that Israel should consider
unilateral moves and withdrawal from the West Bank if negotiations with the
Palestinians failed.

This Israeli policy leads to the continuation of the conflict; it does not
lead to a solution, rather it ends the concept of the two-state solution,
added Abu Rudeineh.

He emphasized that the Palestinians are “committed to a just and
comprehensive solution of a state within 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as
its capital and without Jerusalem nothing will be accepted.”
When did Barak loose his courage?

How long can we depend on the Arabs, to be too stupid to take our land and then keep fighting?

We need strong Jews, to safeguard Israel.

We must not depend on Arab pride, to stop the enemy inside the Knesset to give our land away.

Court determines Teitel murdered Palestinians

The Jerusalem District Court on Monday approved an unusual plea bargain made between the district attorney and lawyers representing Jack Teitel, and determined that Teitel had murdered two Palestinians and committed other violent crimes.

Judges Zvi Segal, Moshe Hacohen and Moshe Yair Drori said that the court determined that Teitel committed the acts attributed to him in an amended indictment.

The amended indictment includes ten of the original fourteen charges against Teitel, including two murders and two attempted murders, after the prosecution agreed to remove charges relating to attempted attacks which the authorities had foiled.

While the judges found Teitel had committed the acts they did not formally convict him. Instead, the court will reconvene next month to determine whether Teitel was criminally responsible for his actions when he committed the offenses.

Although he agreed to admit the charges, Teitel refused to come and speak directly to the court because he does not recognize its authority. Instead, Teitel's attorney Asher Ohayon told the court that Teitel admitted the charges in the amended indictment.

Teitel is charged with the 1997 murder of Palestinian taxi driver Samir Balbisi, who was found shot dead in his taxicab.

According to the indictment, in around May 1997, when Teitel was still in the US, he decided to murder Palestinians and came to Israel for that purpose, smuggling a gun into the country by hiding it in a VCR.

Teitel spent his first weeks in Israel with friends in Jerusalem.

Later, he acquired bullets for his smuggled gun, and sought out a suitable victim to murder.

The indictment said Teitel chose to murder an Arab taxi driver because he thought he could ask the driver to first drive him to a suitable spot.

On June 8, 1997, Teitel went to the Arab taxi rank at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, the indictment said, where he hired Balbisi and told him to take him to a hotel.

After driving for a while, however, Teitel told Balbisi to stop and wait, before shooting the Palestinian in the head at point blank range.

The indictment also charges Teitel with the murder of a second Palestinian man, Beduin shepherd Isaa Mousa’af Mahamada, who was shot dead near the West Bank settlement of Carmel, near Hebron, in August 1997.

In 2000, Teitel immigrated to Israel and lived in Shvut Rachel, a West Bank settlement north of Jerusalem, where he married and had four children. That same year, he was arrested by police on suspicion of carrying out both the 1997 murders, but later released for lack of evidence.

In March 2008, according to the indictment, Teitel attempted to murder 15-year-old Amiel Ortiz, a Messianic Jewish teen from Ariel.

Teitel sent a bomb in a Purim gift basket to the Ortiz’s home, which exploded when Ortiz opened it.

Other charges include planting homemade explosives at the home of Prof. Ze’ev Sternhell, a left-wing scholar from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in September 2008; attempting to murder a resident of the Beit Jamal monastery near Beit Shemesh, because he believed the monastery inhabitants were missionaries who tried to convert Jewish children; and attacking a police station in 2006 during a gay pride parade.

Following his arrest in 2009, Teitel was remanded in custody in a secure psychiatric facility, and though an initial psychiatric assessment in 2010 deemed him unfit to stand trial, later tests showed that he was able to face prosecution.

In Monday's hearing, the judges ruled that the court will reconvene on June 28 to discuss whether Teitel had been responsible for his actions when he carried out the offenses.

Teitel's lawyers are expected to argue that their client did not know right from wrong when he committed the acts, and therefore the court cannot impose a prison term.

The prosecution are expected to argue that Teitel was responsible for his actions when committing the crimes.

If the judges find Teitel was responsible for his actions, as the prosecution will argue, the court will likely impose a long prison term. The mandatory sentence for murder is life in prison.

http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=271813
I may anger some of you, with my thoughts on Teitel.

But we must be truthful and consistent in our views.

Once again, I am upset by the lack of the death penalty in Israel.

Why murder an Arab taxi cab driver, and a shepard?

Because, you are a sick twisted idiot.

It is just too bad the Teitel, will not be judged in a court that can take his life.

Kadima MK: Send human rights activists to prison camps

If given the opportunity, some Israeli human rights groups "would be the first to put haredim and settlers on buses and transfer them," Knesset Member Yulia Shamalov Berkovich said Tuesday during a heated House Committee debate of on the influx of foreign migrants into the country.

"Those hypocrites," the Kadima member said of human rights activists who are aiding foreign migrants, "I would imprison them all for incitement and for pitting Jews against Jews."

Shamalov Berkovich called the recent posting on Facebook of a doctored image of MK Miri Regev wearing a Nazi uniform and performing the Nazi salute "disgraceful."

"All human rights activists should be imprisoned and transported to camps we are building," she said, referring to detention facilities Israel is constructing in which African infiltrators will be held.

During a recent demonstration in south Tel Aviv against the government's handling of the infiltration phenomenon, Regev described Sudanese migrants in Israel as a “cancer.”

Shamalov Berkovich later told Ynet, "I toured south Tel Aviv and witnessed the deplorable conditions in which the infiltrators live. It pains me a lot, and I ask – how did we reach a situation whereby in the Jewish State of Israel people (foreign migrants) are living like animals?

"There are MKs from the left who speak terribly of haredim and settlers. This is incitement and extreme self-hatred. They would gladly transfer ultra-Orthodox and settlers and keep the infiltrators here. I want to tell the human rights groups that most (of the infiltrators) are not refugees, they came here to seek work," she told Ynet.

According to Shamalov Berkovich, the human rights groups are forcing Israelis to "illegally employ infiltrators," adding that they are "compromising the security of the state and its citizens and should be locked up."

The MK said the solution was to conduct negotiations with the infiltrators' home countries and have them agree to absorb the migrants. She stressed that acts of violence against foreign migrants are a "horrible mistake."

Attorney Oded Feller from the Association for Civil Rights in Israel said after the meeting that MKs who are calling to deport infiltrators are "deceiving" the public because "they know that most of those seeking asylum in Israel are Eritreans and Sudanese who cannot be expelled."
Good for her.

Maybe.

I really don't want to send anyone to prison camps, why should Israel be building prison camps?

Send the police into south Tel Aviv and arrest these threats to our security. Drive them to the airport and fly a plane full out every day while at the same time closing the border.

It will take us a year or so to remove the people, but we didn't get into this mess in one day either.

new, unprecedented computer virus called “Flame” (or “sKyWIper”) has hit Iran, the West Bank, and other Middle Eastern locations. It is already considered one of the most sophisticated cyber weapons ever unleashed. Internet security company Kaspersky said Monday that Flame was the “most complex piece of malicious software discovered to date.”

The cyber-espionage worm, designed to collect and delete sensitive information, is said to have 20 times as much code as Stuxnet, which attacked an Iranian uranium enrichment facility (and some 16,000 computers), causing centrifuges to fail. Iran blamed Israel and the US for its creation.

Flame is also believed to contain an element that was used in Stuxnet. Kaspersky said the Flame malware may have been lurking inside thousands of computers across the Middle East for between five and eight years. The creator of the virus is not yet known.

The Laboratory of Cryptography and System Security (CrySyS Lab), affiliated with Budapest University, said the analysis on the virus is still limited in scope, but that the virus is a complex “info-stealer… with large components.”

Flame is the third cyber weapon uncovered recently, after Stuxnet and Duqu (named after a Star Wars villain).

The country with the largest number of machines infected by Flame is believed to be Iran, following by the West Bank, and Sudan and Syria after that. Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt have also been affected.

Swastikas, Palestinian flags and "Palestine is ours" slogans were spray-painted on the ancient synagogue in Naaran near Jericho overnight.

Public Diplomacy Minister Yuli Edelstein condemned the act and remarked it was no wonder the Palestinians desecrate an ancient synagogue "after destroying and desecrating Temple Mount remnants."

The Minister added, "The incident reaffirms the belief that Jewish holy sites must be under Israel's sovereignty."

The ancient synagogue in Naaran was built in the Sixth Century and attracts both worshippers and pilgrims. The compound contains an ancient mosaic and archeological treasures.

On Friday, a group of worshippers was shocked to find that the site had been vandalized. "I was shocked to see the destruction," said Dr. Yoel Elitzur who led the group. "It turns out that general values of respect for antiques mean nothing to these savages. The site must be placed under Jewish control as soon as possible."

Members of a group organizing visits to the site expressed outrage over the vandalism and lack of Jewish security at the synagogue.

"The historic mosaic is an important testament of our people's history. A people that do not guard their past have no future. If the IDF is incapable, we will protect the synagogue with our bodies."

Other elements in the Right said that the incident could cause an escalation. MK Michael Ben Ari (National Union) called on the Shin Bet and Israel Police "to treat the desecration of the synagogue as if it were a mosque otherwise the government will inspire a series of Price Tag acts."

May 24, 2012

Let's Investigate

Yariv Oppenheimer calls on AG to launch probe into actions of three MKs who attended south Tel Aviv anti-migration protest. MK Regev: I do not condone violence
Moran Azulay

"I do not condone violence and never have," said MK Miri Regev (Likud) on Thursday morning after calling infiltrators "a cancer in our society" during a violent protest in south Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

She stressed that "the situation on the ground is what provokes violence and rage."

MKs Regev, Danny Danon, Yariv Levin (Likud) and Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) attended a demonstration against the influx of African migrants Wednesday during which 12 were arrested. The suspects were released on bail on Thursday and were placed under house arrest.

Leftist and human rights group accused the MKs of fanning the flames at the protest which ended with the assault of one foreign worker.

Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch condemned the violence and said, "I call on public officials to show responsibility and not incite, because ultimately we are an entire sector against another sector."

Aharonovitch added, "The Sudanese and Eritreans must be sent back in an orderly fashion because most of them are infiltrators and not refugees."

Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin also criticized the MKs. "When the masses are raging, leaders must curb the rage instead of spreading it," he said during a meeting with the US ambassador.

"It's OK to protest and demand a solution from the government but once cannot be dragged into incitement and use words the anti-Semites use against us," he said.

Rivlin said that MK Regev should have demanded the government to form a coherent policy and find solutions for the problem.

On Thursday, Regev explained that her use of the word "cancer" were meant "to illustrate the spread of a negative phenomenon. This is a manifestation of rage that has been unleashed after a long time of people feeling unsafe in their own homes."

She further added, "This is a real demographic threat. Israel should adopt the US protocol of returning infiltrators to the border within 72 hours. We need to understand that the residents' lives have become unbearable. Jews and Israelis are scared of living in their country."

The MK slammed leftist "bleeding hearts" and stressed that "charity starts at home."

"With all due respect to the Left and Peace Now – they are the reason that our country is in the state it's in. Because of their High Court petitions we cannot deport all those infiltrators to their countries of origin," she charged.

MK Danon also stressed he did not condone violence. "Violence is not a solution. The real pogrom is the one that happens daily against the residents of south Tel Aviv."

Peace Now: Investigate MKs

Meanwhile, Peace Now Chairman Yariv Oppenheimer has asked the Attorney General to launch an investigation against MKs Regev, Danon and Ben-Ari for incitement to violence.

He quoted the legal definition of racism and claimed that "The MKs' racist calls and incitement to violence were quickly translated into action on the ground." Oppenheimer claimed that many are endorsing his appeal.

MK Danon said in response, "Enough with this self-righteousness. The State of Israel is at war with an enemy state of infiltrators; its capital is south Tel Aviv. The solution to all the negative things they bring with them is immediate deportation, before it's too late."
http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-4233774,00.html
When is Peace Now going to be investigated?

Who has contributed to this anti Israel group?

Who have the leaders of Peace Now collaborated with in the last 25 years?

May 23, 2012

Keep our Israel Jewish

Op-ed: Israel must deport African infiltrators in order to maintain the country’s Jewish majority
Yoav Keren

They sang, danced and rejoiced, possibly without being aware that newspaper headlines a day earlier dealt with whether to expel them or not.

When I saw these lovely people – you can call them refugees, infiltrators or asylum seekers based on your own views – and when I remembered Israeli weddings, where masses of guests raid the food as if there’s no tomorrow, I thought to myself: Who are we to brand these people as criminals, the spreaders of disease, violent or just unfriendly?

And then I recalled how one night I woke up to yelling and screaming, and when I opened the window I saw a group of African migrants waving planks and bottles at each other. I then remembered how one night the police stopped an Audi and pulled out a barely 16-year-old Sudanese, who apparently did not legally purchase the vehicle. So perhaps they are criminals after all and must be deported?

Well, the answer is that this is irrelevant.

It’s irrelevant because there are African criminals and rapists just like there are Jewish or Arab criminals and rapists. Yet despite this, I think they should be deported, for the same reason I think we should finalize a diplomatic agreement with the Palestinians: Because I want to keep living in a Jewish state.

Because this is our only state, and because should we fail to curb the flow of infiltrators, the first Hebrew city, Tel Aviv, will not remain Hebrew for long. In 20 years, the Jewish state as a whole may not remain Jewish.

And also because we cannot afford to keep hundreds of thousands of people without basic rights and without work. If the alternative is to grant citizenship to every African migrant, I prefer deportation. This is all about demography.

As to the couple who got married near my southern Tel Aviv home, I wish them a happy life together; but not here.

One of the demonstrators who spoke during the rally urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "decide whether we live in Israel or Sudan."

Smaller protests against the illegal immigration phenomenon were held in Bnei Brak, Ashdod, Ashkelon and Eilat.

Residents of the south Tel Aviv neighborhoods Shapira and Kiryat Shalom held another rally on Chahmei Yisrael Street. They waved signs reading, "Our streets are no longer safe for our children," "The craziness of our life: Neglect, crime, rape and violence," "Yesterday it was my daughter, tomorrow it will be your daughter," and "Yishai was right."

Many Israelis, including ministers, attribute the growing violence in the country to the illegal immigration of Africans.

"We are afraid to walk the streets," said Ayala Silwani, who has lived in Shapira for the past 30 years. "The elderly are forced to remain indoors, women are afraid to walk around alone – this is an impossible situation."

The protest organizers urged participants not to take the law into their own hands and refrain from carrying out acts of violence in the neighborhood.

"The infiltrators are taking over our neighborhood," another resident said. "Netanyahu must find an immediate solution. The prime minister must see to it that (the infiltrators) are provided with food, but first he must guarantee our security."

A number of Knesset members from the ruling Likud party were also on hand. MK Danny Danon, chairman of the Knesset lobby dealing with the problem of infiltrators, called on the government to deport the foreign migrants. "We should not be ashamed of the word 'expulsion'. We can send them back (to their home countries)," he said.

"I spoke with the president of Sudan, and he said to me 'no problem, send them back to us.'"

MK Miri Regev referred to the infiltrators as a "cancer" and attacked the human rights groups that are aiding the foreign migrants.

"The infiltrators are a cancer in our society. All the leftists who filed High Court appeals (against the deportation of African migrants) should be ashamed of themselves," she said.

"We will not let them thwart our attempt to protect ourselves, our children, our women and our work places. We will continue to protest every day until the last of the Sudanese infiltrators returns to his country."

Earlier Wednesday, Interior Minister Eli Yishai said the construction of a fence along the border with Egypt would not stop the influx of foreigners into Israel. "The fence has been breached in the past and it will be breached many more times in the future," he said during a Knesset session.

The minister said that if given the mandate, there will not be a single infiltrator left in Israel in one year's time. "I would change the law so that every infiltrator is put in jail. Then he can decide whether he wants to remain imprisoned or go back to his home country," he said.

The tensions between Israelis and foreign migrants peaked in late April when a Molotov cocktail was lobbed into Sudanese kindergarten in south Tel Aviv.

Tel Aviv District Police Commander Aharon Aksol said Monday that the past few months have seen a surge in violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants, but added that the phenomenon should not be attributed only to the infiltrators who reside in the city's southern area, but to "Israeli society as a whole."

During a Knesset debate on the wave of violence, Aksol said the growing tension between the residents of south Tel Aviv and the infiltrators was dangerous. He claimed that something must be done to curb the violence "or else the situation may deteriorate."

AG: South Sudanese can be deported

PM Netanyahu accepts AG's brief, based on Foreign Ministry stance that nothing prevents Israel from returning South Sudanese migrants to their new country if they are not eligible for asylum
Aviad Glickman

About to be deported? Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein has presented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a brief that says that Israel can return illegal migrants from South Sudan to their country.

Weinstein met with Netanyahu on Wednesday evening and informed him that the Attorney General's Office would support the stance of the Foreign Ministry, which seeks to deport the migrants now that South Sudan has been declared an independent state.

The Foreign Ministry is seeking to deport migrants from South Sudan who do not meet the criteria for asylum.

According to estimates from groups that assist asylum seekers and a count that the community itself conducted, some 700 asylum seekers from South Sudan currently live in Israel, including some 400 children. However, the Population Administration puts the number at some 3,000.

The state attorney plans to ask the Jerusalem District Court to grant an order that would forbid the detention or custody of refugees from South Sudan, which is facing instability despite its newfound independence.

The United Nations, on the other hand, believes that Israel should hold off on deporting the South Sudanese migrants. During a Knesset Committee debate on foreign workers, the UN Refugee Agency's representative in Israel said that the agency supported an extension of the collective protection given to asylum seekers.

The South Sudanese themselves, as well as the various organizations that provide aid to the community, also think that Israel should wait before sending would-be refugees back to their country because of the risk of war and the harsh living conditions there.

On Sunday, Netanyahu addressed the growing problem of illegal migrants, saying that his government had taken a number of steps to address the issue: "First of all, to stop them from coming in and second of all to start sending them out," the prime minister said.

"We have 60,000 migrants – if we don't stop the inflow we could easily reach 600,000."

Netanyahu also cautioned against additional infiltrators entering Israel via the Egyptian border. "This is flooding the state and wiping out our identity as a Jewish, democratic state, so we've been forced to set up a physical obstacle that will be completed by October," he said.

Turning to the opposition to African migrants, especially in south Tel Aviv, Netanyahu called the growing refugee population "a bother to many residents, and rightfully so."

"We will solve the problem by acting. We hear the calls and are taking action. The action will prevail," he promised.

May 22, 2012

Poll: Most Egyptians hate Israel, but don't want war with it

Menachem Begin Heritage Center poll evaluating the Egyptian public's position regarding the peace treaty with Israel shows more than 85% oppose any type of normalization and want to see a worsening of relations, even to levels of "hatred."

Daniel Siryoti

Egyptian women line up in front of election posters for candidates before entering a polling station in Cairo.

Tens of millions of Egyptians will cast their votes on Wednesday and Thursday in the first round of the country's first ever democratic presidential elections. If no candidate receives 50 percent of the votes after the first round, a second round of voting will be held in mid-June.

The general expectation is that none of the candidates will receive the required 50% after round one. Eighty election supervisors from 35 countries will try to assure that the historic elections run smoothly.

Egyptian media reported Monday that after counting the votes from about 300,000 expatriates, mainly living in the Gulf states, Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Mursi was in the lead. Amr Moussa — former Arab League director-general and foreign minister under ousted President Hosni Mubarak, whom many expected to win the first round — was only in fourth place. As of last Monday all of the candidates were required to cease public campaigning and publishing election polls in the local media.

May 21, 2012

Iran 'committed to Israel's annihilation,' says top general

When Ahmadinejad purportedly said Israel "should be wiped off the map" there were many who argued that the Iranian leader was mistranslated. No such argument can be made regarding the latest comments by the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces.
Eli Leon, Shlomo Cesana, Mati Tuchfeld, Yori Yalon, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff

When Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad purportedly said that Israel "should be wiped off the map" there were, and still are, many who argue that the Iranian leader was misquoted or mistranslated. No such argument can be made however regarding the latest comments by the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces.

According to the Iranian Fars news agency, while addressing a defense gathering in Tehran on Sunday, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi stressed that the Iranian nation remains committed to the "full annihilation of the Zionist regime of Israel to the end."

According to Fars, Firouzabadi "reiterated the Iranian nation and supreme leader's emphasis on the necessity of support for the oppressed Palestinian nation and its causes," and noted, "The Iranian nation is standing for its cause that is the full annihilation of Israel."

The top military official reminded those present that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei considers "defending Palestine a full religious duty and believes that any kind of governance and rule by anyone other than the Palestinians as an instance of usurpation," Fars reported.

Firouzabadi went on to say, "Iran's leader, Ali Khamenei, will never recognize any authority in Palestine other than the Palestinians."

Meanwhile, the head of the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, landed in Tehran on Monday morning to begin a delicate mission that — if successful — could finally lift the veil on Iran's nuclear program ahead of crucial talks with six world powers in Baghdad on Wednesday. The purpose of Amano's trip is to get Iran to agree to terms that would allow the nuclear watchdog to resume inspections in Iran and investigate whether Tehran has secretly worked to develop nuclear arms.

Israel remained skeptical an agreement would be reached between Tehran and the P5+1 (United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany), warning that it did not sense readiness on Iran's part to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

One senior Israeli diplomat said Israel "hopes the West doesn't acquiesce to Iran in exchange for a piece of paper."

"Prime Minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] is skeptical about the dialogue with Iran and hopes negotiators realize it wants to sacrifice a pawn in order to save the king in the chess game it is playing," the diplomat said.

While expressing some optimism as he prepared to board his flight Sunday from Vienna to Tehran, Amano said he could not predict whether a deal would be reached to allow his agency to renew its stalled probe.

"Nothing is certain in life, in diplomacy," he told reporters at Vienna's airport. "But there has been good progress. I really think this is the right time to reach agreement."

Amano's lead partner in the Tehran talks will be Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, who will also lead his country's delegation to Baghdad.

Some Western diplomats have also expressed doubts that Iran would honor any deal suddenly granting the IAEA access to sites, people and documents, pointing out that Tehran has stonewalled the agency's efforts since 2007. The diplomats say Tehran is seeking to score points ahead of the Baghdad talks this week, by referring to a deal with the IAEA as a goodwill gesture and demanding that the impending Iranian oil embargo be called off.

Ahead of the Baghdad talks, diplomats told The Associated Press that the six powers agree that they won't give in to such demands. World powers "are unified in our approach to Iran," U.S. President Barack Obama said at the G-8 meeting last week.

Another Western diplomat told Reuters, "We'll see if the Iranians will allow IAEA inspectors to visit Parchin [the military facility where the West believes Iran has conducted nuclear explosion–related tests]. It doesn't matter what appears in the agreement, I would still be skeptical."

However, not everyone believes the West is taking a hard enough line with Iran.

"On Iran, President Obama has dangled plenty of carrots. It’s time to pull out some sticks," wrote Jamie Fly, former adviser to the George. W. Bush administration, and Matthew Kroenig, a former Pentagon defense planner, in a recent Washington Post article.

"Despite the optimism that came out of the negotiations last month in Istanbul, there is little reason to believe that Iran is serious about doing anything other than using the coming weeks to enrich more uranium and make progress toward a nuclear weapon," wrote Fly and Kroenig.

According to some reports, the six superpowers will attempt to get Iran to transfer all uranium enriched to levels of 20 percent out of the country by offering to help Iran build its own nuclear program for civilian purposes — including supplying nuclear fuel for a civilian research plant near Tehran, as well as technical safety consultants. If such an agreement is signed, the West will continue to make gestures toward Iran but will not cancel significant economic sanctions until a final deal is reached.

"Not every deal will be satisfactory for us," said Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud) on Sunday. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beitenu) said Israel was awaiting the outcome of the talks in Baghdad and reiterated that Israel does not believe Iran is ready to relinquish its nuclear program.

"For Iran the talks are a matter of deception and buying time," Lieberman said. "I don't think the international community has any illusions regarding the Iranian [nuclear] program."

In her first meeting with President Shimon Peres as opposition leader, Shelly Yachimovich (Labor) said Sunday that the United States and the superpowers must be allowed to lead the front against Iran.

Iran, for its part, was conveying conflicting messages about Amano's visit. One senior Iranian parliamentarian called it "a testament to the sensitive nature of the diplomacy surrounding Iran's nuclear program [that] could positively influence the talks with the six powers."

On the other hand, in an interview with CNN, Iran's finance minister warned that global oil prices would rise and could reach up to $160 per barrel once the EU embargo takes effect in early July.

Netanyahu, Mofaz to oppose bill that would limit Palestinian claims to land Legislation aimed at circumventing Supreme Court decision on West Bank outpost

By Michal Shmulovich May 21, 2012, 8:54 pm

Beit El's Ulpana neighborhood is at the heart of the controversy surround illegal West Bank outposts. (photo credit: Noam Moskowitz/Flash90)
Beit El's Ulpana neighborhood is at the heart of the controversy surround illegal West Bank outposts. (photo credit: Noam Moskowitz
rime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked his party to oppose a bill on West Bank outposts that is set to reach the Knesset floor Wednesday. Vice Prime Minister and Kadima chairman Shaul Mofaz, meanwhile, said that his party would oppose the legislation.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-mofaz-to-oppose-regulatory-bill-that-gives-palestinians-4-years-to-claim-land/
These two are showing their true colors.

Bibi is not right wing, he will give away parts of Israel.

I don't trust him at all.
The bill would give Palestinian landowners four years from the date an outpost is built to present land ownership documents to a court. If they do not present the papers within that window of time, the bill states, the outpost cannot be evacuated.

“I will not go against the courts,” Mofaz said, referring to a recent Supreme Court ruling that calls for the evacuation of the Ulpana neighborhood in the Beit El outpost in the West Bank by July 1 because it was built on private Palestinian land.

Right-wing members of Netanyahu’s Likud party have pushed for legislation that would circumvent the court.

Ministers Moshe Kahlon and Ya’akov Katz said they would vote for the bill. Finance Minister also said he would not be afraid of using legislation to solve the Ulpana issue. He said the bill would not bypass the court but rather allow the Knesset to solve problems.

May 20, 2012

Three Faces: The Story of Jerusalem’s Reunification

Posted on May 20, 2012

In June 1967, David Rubinger, a press photographer in Israel, followed IDF forces that were fighting to liberate the Old City of Jerusalem. At the Western Wall, three IDF soldiers posed for a photograph. They were Zion Karasanti, Yitzhak Yifat and Haim Oshri. While their names are not famous, their faces have become a symbol of the reunification of Jerusalem.
Paratroopers at the Western Wall

David Rubinger's famous photo: Paratroopers at the Western Wall

To mark the 45th anniversary of that day — the 28th of Iyar on the Hebrew calendar — we found the three men from the photograph and asked them to share a few memories from the special day.

Zion Karasanti is 69 years old. He fought in the Battle of Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem. Today he lives in Afula and is a director and choreographer.

“I had finally been mobilized, and almost all of the reservists in my unit were already in combat,” Karasanti said. “I remember my mother’s fear — and her tears. I knew our country had no choice, and I had to do my duty to defend it. ”

On Ammunition Hill, the soldiers come under fire from Jordanian forces.

“There was a passage covered with barbed wire,” Karasanti recalled. “I jumped on it and helped others to cross. I felt no pain. We went into the trenches. They were not very deep, but they were quite narrow. When someone was hurt, we had to lift his body over our heads. The Jordanian army fought hard to the last man. ”

Karasanti, then 24 years old, was the first paratrooper to reach the Western Wall. He did not immediately recognize where he was standing.

“I saw an Israeli soldier in the area– I had no idea where she came from. I asked her, ‘Where am I?’ She said, ‘This is the Western Wall.’ Then, before disappearing, she gave me a postcard and told me to write to my parents. I thought I had dreamed it. But years later, I met this woman. She was a soldier in the IDF Postal Corps.”

Rabbi Shmuel Goren blowing the Shofar near the Western Wall in June 1967. Photo by David Rubinger

Yitzhak Yifat, 69, is a gynecologist and obstetrician. In 1967, he was 24 years old and living in Tel Aviv.

“I had a toothache when we arrived in Jerusalem,” he said. “I fought while my mouth was still numb from local anesthesia. There was hand-to-hand combat in the trenches on Ammunition Hill. My best friend was hit in the back, and a Jordanian was about to shoot him again. I shot first.”

Yifat lost many friends in that battle. Their names are now etched in stone at the memorial at the site.

Not long after the Battle of Ammunition Hill ended, Yifat prepared to enter the Old City. “The entry into the Old City was a chaotic,” he said. We entered through a small gate and winded our way to the Western Wall. I was very moved by what we accomplished that day. I am not religious, but I realized how important it was for Jews worldwide.”

Born in Yemen in 1944, Haim Oshri immigrated to Israel in 1949 and completed his military service in 1965. He was called up for reserve duty in the days leading up to the Six-Day War.

“The battle for Ammunition Hill was the worst time of war,” he said. “As a religious Jew, it was very special for me to participate in the battle for the liberation of Jerusalem. We pray three times a day while facing Jerusalem. I could not imagine how magical it would be to see the Western Wall for the first time. That was my dream! ”

In front of the wall, a press photographer, David Rubinger, approached the three soldiers and pointed his lens at them.

“He told us to look up and was lying on the ground to take the photo,” Oshri said. “It’s just incredibly lucky for us to have been present at this historic moment and to appear in this photograph. It is a great honor.”
IDF Soldiers at the Western Wall

IDF soldiers pray at the Western Wall on Jerusalem Day 2012.
http://www.idfblog.com/2012/05/20/three-faces-the-story-of-jerusalems-reunification/

Prime minister says Israel must act to stem the tide of illegal African immigration, which is "a threat to the fabric of Israeli society, its national security and its national identity" • Interior Minister Eli Yishai rejects police commissioner's suggestion of granting illegal migrants temporary employment, saying, "This will attract hundreds of thousands of additional migrants."
The Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff

Prisoners at the current detention complex at the Saharonim Prison in the Negev Desert. [Archive]

Israel must stop the flow of illegal African immigrants to ensure it does not lose its character, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of the weekly cabinet session Sunday. Netanyahu reiterated his positions that Israel must act, calling the phenomenon "a threat to the fabric of Israeli society, its national security and its national identity."

Netanyahu, who is the latest high-profile politician to speak on the topic, described his government's efforts to curtail illegal immigration from the Sinai Desert, and stressed the importance of the fence that is currently being built along the Egyptian border. "Immediately upon being sworn in three years ago my government decided to tackle this problem," Netanyahu said. "If we do not stop this, 60,000 infiltrators could become 600,000 and possibly even jeopardize Israel's continued existence as a Jewish democracy."

Netanyahu said his government was taking a pro-active approach and was working to deport the illegal immigrants. While vowing to impose deterrent penalties, Netanyahu said he would address the immigrants' plight. "We are going to respond through action, not slogans," he said.

Some 60,000 African migrants – and possibly, according to some estimates, up to 200,000 – fleeing authoritarian rule in Eritrea and clashes in neighboring Sudan and what is now South Sudan have crossed illegally into Israel across the relatively porous desert border with Egypt. Half of them arrived in the past two years — more than 3,500 since January alone — and growing numbers of homeless migrants are camped out in Israeli city parks.

The issue of illegal immigrants has become a source of heated discussion over the past several years and particularly over the last few weeks, after police arrested several African immigrants over a number of suspected rape charges. Last year, an Israeli woman was killed in Tel Aviv by an Eritrean under the influence of alcohol. Some Israelis believe the country, created after the Holocaust, must help the oppressed and allow them to make a living, saying this would also reduce crime levels. Others, including some lawamkers and cabinet ministers, say Israel must use a heavy-handed approach lest Israel lose its unique character.

Most recently, Interior Minister Eli Yishai said he would like to round-up all illegal migrants to improve security on the streets. On Sunday, Eli Yishai refused to back down. "I will repeat what I said – we must arrest all of them or deport all of them with a deportation grant; upon entering prison others would not want to come here anymore."

"Why should I create jobs for them? I have had it with all those bleeding hearts, including politicians," Yishai said, referring to Israel Police chief Insp. Gen. Yohanan Danino's suggestion to assign temporary jobs to African economic migrants as a way to improve their conditions. "Giving them employment will keep them here, they will give birth, and this will attract hundreds of thousands of additional migrants," Yishai warned.

Yishai stressed that the welfare of illegal immigrants was not part of his job description. "I am not responsible for what happens in Eritrea and Sudan – it's the U.N.'s job; those who do not leave voluntarily will be deported back to their home country or a third country and will be granted a stipend; I want to restore a sense of security to the streets so that everyone walks freely and safely."

Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau also addressed the issue of illegal immigrants at the cabinet meeting on Sunday, saying, "The problem of the infiltrators is no longer just a socio-economic problem, but is a strategic-security problem."

Landau called on the Mossad and Israel Security Agency to take part in tackling the issue.

"We are being inundated with a strong and steady stream of infiltrators from Africa," he said. "We must stop it quickly and confront those who create the problem, including networks of smugglers and criminals outside of Israel. Smuggling networks can also develop terrorist infrastructure, and we must tackle this problem before it starts."

http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=4409
I will say it again, these people will bring a culture into Israel that is not good for Israel.

According to the police 50% of the crime in Tel Aviv is committed by African refugees.

Israel needs to build a fence and deport 100% of the Africans.

We then must offer our services to help build a better Africa for Africans.

May 18, 2012

MERF

For those who would like to hear me on the radio, I am very pleased to announce that I will be having a weekly appearance on the Middle East Radio Forum, the show is hosted By William Wolf.

The time of the show is 3pm EDT, 12 am Pacific, 10pm Israel, every Sunday. Please feel free to call in if you have any questions about my weekly comments. If you should happen to miss the show then you can go to the MERF web page and listen to me and other guest in the archives.

The truth about 'refugees'

The most enlightened thing one can do is to embrace the children whose parents infiltrated into Israel on a cold night, but the time has come to take off the masks: The three Eritreans suspected of raping a 15-year-old girl are merely a minor prelude to what will happen here should we fail to regain our senses soon.

At this time already, some 40% of crimes in Tel Aviv are committed by these illegal aliens, and at this rate the millionth infiltrator will be arriving in Israel at some point. Did anyone say "demographic threat"?

Our pathetic desire to be enlightened is making us lose our minds. The "Israeli Children" NGO claims that Israel expels the children of foreign workers. But that's a lie – Israel expels the parents. The children go with them.

And here's yet another lie: The term "refugees." These are not refugees. We are dealing with people who are seeking a better life. Even according to the relevant UN convention, refugees are only considered as such in the first state they arrive in from their country – in this case, it's Egypt.

Leftists groups are also lying when they say that one cannot return to South Sudan because of mortal danger. South Sudan is 20 or 30 times larger than Israel. The dangerous zone there only comprises a tiny part of the land.

In Eritrea, by the way, a dictatorship rules and there is mandatory army service of 15 years. Most infiltrators are draft-dodgers; people who simply did not want to join the army. One can understand them, but this is not our problem.

High Court to the 'rescue'

Leftist groups petitioned the High Court of Justice, which forbade Israel to return infiltrators back to Egypt shortly after they cross the border, lest they be shot. Yet this constitutes dangerous self-righteousness. Had the Egyptians shot the first five infiltrators returned to them, the 500 waiting their turn would think twice about coming here.

Yet now they have an insurance police courtesy of the High Court; they know that even if they are nabbed, Israel will protect them.

Another law that the High Court banned because of a petition by leftist groups is legislation that would forbid employers to hire infiltrators. Until a detention facility is built (the State is currently trying to build it at your expense, at a cost of hundreds of millions of shekels,) such law is illegal.

The result of this is that the infiltrators are working, and their friends in Africa who hear about it are arriving here en masse.

Do you see what's happening here? European governments are handing over money to leftist groups that assist the infiltrators via the High Court. And what does Europe gain from this? That's obvious. Every infiltrator who arrives here is one less infiltrator who goes there.

May 17, 2012

Pew Poll of Egyptians

Q74 Do you think Egypt should maintain its peace treaty with Israel or do
you think Egypt should annul its peace treaty with Israel?
Maintain treaty 32 Annul treaty 61 DK/Refused 7

QEGY1 Overall, would you say U.S. economic aid to Egypt is having a mostly
positive impact, a mostly negative impact, or no impact on the way things
are going in Egypt?

Mostly positive 21 Mostly negative 61 No impact 17 DK/Refused 1

QEGY2 Overall, would you say U.S. military aid to Egypt is having a mostly
positive impact, a mostly negative impact, or no impact on the way things
are going in Egypt?
Mostly positive 11 Mostly negative 61 No impact 25 DK/Refused 3

Shas, UTJ won't sit on 'Tal Law' committee

MKs from the ultra-Orthodox parties United Torah Judaism and Shas have said they will not participate or send representatives to the committee established to present proposals for replacing the “Tal Law.”

Leading UTJ MKs Ya’acov Litzman and Moshe Gafni both confirmed on Monday that neither they nor any other MKs from the faction would join the committee.
Related:

According to sources within UTJ, leading rabbis in the haredi community have instructed the party’s MKs not to take part in the hearings due to ideological opposition to a law which will encourage drafting haredim into the army.

Shas chairman and Interior Minister Eli Yishai issued a statement saying that, following consultations with Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the party would also not be sending a representative to the committee.

“Those who study Torah are not subject to negotiations on quotas and on their basic rights to study the Torah,” Yishai said. “Their contribution to the Jewish people and to the State of Israel is well known and clear to any believing Jew.”

Yishai also said that Shas would produce its own recommendations on the share of the military burden and IDF draft reform and present it to the public.

MK Yohanan Plesner (Kadima), former head of the working group to implement the Tal Law, will lead the committee, which is expected to convene for the first time in the coming days.

Speaking to the Knesset Channel on Monday, Plesner noted that the committee’s responsibilities present a historic opportunity that should not be wasted on a temporary compromise. However, the implementation of new legislation replacing the Tal Law will be implemented in stages, he said.

“To build frameworks is a big mission, but we need to place them in a legal framework and allocate adequate resources in order to achieve these goals.”

Boaz Nol, a leading activist in the IDF draft reform movement, said he was disappointed that the haredi parties are not taking part in a process that is now part of the national consensus.

He also said that those lobbying for the haredim to be drafted cannot understand Shas’s stance.

“Shas MKs have served in the IDF, their children serve and the people who vote for Shas serve,” Nol said. “Yishai and his party should be leading this protest movement, not opposing it.”

Gafni, who is also Finance Committee chairman, said in an interview with the haredi newspaper Yated Ne’eman that Rabbi Aharon Leib Schteinman – the de facto leader of the non-hassidic ultra-Orthodox community while Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv is still hospitalized – has instructed party members to quit the coalition if any attempt is made to hinder the studies of yeshiva students.

“Any attempt to prevent Torah students from studying would constitute a severe injury to the soul of the Jewish people,” Gafni told the newspaper. “We wouldn’t stay for one moment in the coalition if they try and do this...We cannot compromise in any way.”

However, UTJ sources have said that the prime minister will keep party leaders abreast of the committee’s developments.

Gafni also rejected the idea of a quota for the number of students permitted to gain exemptions from military or civilian service.

Likud sources have said new legislation may instead stipulate a minimum number of haredim to be drafted into military or national service every year, which will be increased annually.

Nol said that this kind of proposal would only be acceptable if it was part of a program whose goal is obligatory IDF or civilian service for all.

“The whole of Bnei Brak can’t be drafted tomorrow, so passing a law to reach this goal in stages is fine,” Nol said, “As long as it is not cover for a ‘Tal Law 2,’ where most haredim will continue to evade the draft.”

This attitude in the end will only hurt the ultra Orthodox community.

I am Orthodox and I am tired of the big lie of yeshiva learning.

The vast majority that learn in yeshiva and not there for a real love of Torah, they are their for one of two reasons.

Their Rabbi told them not to go to the IDF. The truth is these kinds of rabbi's are into power and money into their pockets with a bit of ego gratification thrown in.

The other reason, is they are lazy cowards.

So become part of the modern Israel do National Service if you don't want to go to the IDF that is fine.

Lastly, I am going to blast the government and the IDF.

The government and IDF are liars, they do not want the religious in the IDF.

Mark my words, with the new Tal Law they will not draft 5,000 boys out of the 70,000 that are avoiding the draft.

May 16, 2012

PM Netanyahu meets with the Family of Anti-Terrorism Unit Soldier the late Pascal Avrahami

(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today (Tuesday), 15.5.12, met with Sima
Avrahami, the widow of Border Police Chief Warrant Officer Pascal Avrahami
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Memorial/2011/3/Pascal_Avrahami.htm
who was killed by terrorists' fire on the Israeli-Egyptian border, on
18.8.11, and with his father Eliyahu Avrahami.

At the meeting, which was held at the request of the family, Sima and
Eliyahu Avrahami asked the Prime Minister to assist in enshrining Pascal's
memory.

Sima Avrahami told Prime Minister Netanyahu that Pascal would have
celebrated his 50th birthday tomorrow. He left behind him three sons, two
of whom are doing their military service, one in the anti-terrorism unit.
She also told the Prime Minister that after her husband was killed, she lost
her father and her brother. She added that after Pascal fell, she joined
the Israel Police.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "Pascal was a great hero, a great Zionist and
a great patriot, the best of the best. We will work to enshrine his
memory."

Tantawi: Egypt ready to do battle

Speaking at military drill, top Egyptian leader warns regional countries; 'We will cut out the tongues of anyone who turns against our forces, peace is not assured,' he says

Roi Kais
Published: 05.16.12, 22:08 / Israel News

The Head of Egypt's Military Council, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, sent a menacing message to countries in the region, saying that his country is ready for war.

"God willing we will cut out the tongues of anyone who turns against our forces and troops," Tantawi said a week before Egypt heads to the polls once again, this time for the presidential elections.

Tantawi did not mention Israel explicitly but stressed: "Peace is not assured, as when the interests contradict each other, there is a state that is weaker than the other and turns to attack, so we need to be ready to do battle."

Egyptian media on Wednesday were reporting from the military drill, which was held in the area between Cairo and Suez and included the use of live fire.

By October, we may be at war with Egypt.

I hope not, I hope the Egyptian people vote for the extreme and as a result America cuts all aid to Egypt.

The longer we can avoid war with Egypt the better, let America cut off aid and military support so that the American made F16 and tanks will fall apart.

Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails agreed on Monday to an Egyptian-brokered deal aimed at ending a mass hunger strike that challenged Israel's policy of detention without trial and raised fears of a bloody Palestinian backlash if any protesters died. Most of some 1,600 prisoners, a third of the 4,800 Palestinians in Israeli jails, began refusing food on April 17 although a few had been fasting much longer, up to 77 days.

Their protest centered on demands for more family visits, an end to solitary confinement and an end to so-called "administrative detention", a practice that has drawn international criticism on human rights grounds.

Palestinian officials said Egypt had drafted an agreement in Cairo with representatives of the Palestinian prisoners, and that inmates met during the day and had agreed to the terms.

There was no immediate word from the prisoners as to whether any had actually ended their strike.

An Egyptian official involved in the talks said that under Monday's deal to end the strike, Israel had agreed to end solitary confinement for 19 prisoners and lifted a ban on visits to prisoners by relatives living in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Israel also agreed to improve other conditions of detention, and to free so-called administrative detainees once they completed their terms unless they were brought to court, the Egyptian official said.

Gaza's Hamas leaders hailed the strike as a successful campaign against Israel and celebrations quickly spread to the streets where motorists honked horns, and passersby embraced and shouted "Allahu Akbar," Arabic for "God is great."

"This is a first step toward liberation and victory," said Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for the Islamist group.

Israel saw the deal as a goodwill gesture to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who holds sway in the West Bank, a territory separate from Islamist-ruled Gaza.

Mark Regev, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel had "negotiated an end to the strike" in response to a request from Abbas.

"It is our hope that this gesture by Israel will serve to build confidence between the parties and to further peace," Regev said.

The hunger strikers included terrorists from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which reject peace with Israel, as well as members of Abbas' Fatah group.

Following the announcement of the deal, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh welcomed the end of the hunger strike and said, "We proved once again that our brave warriors have defeated the Zionist enemy even within prison."

The Israel Prison Service confirming the deal, saying, “An agreement has been signed to bring about the end of a 28-day hunger strike by Palestinian security prisoners."

In a statement, the service said prisoners who signed a commitment "not to engage in actions contravening security inside the jails" would have prison conditions eased, including the lifting of solitary confinement and the possibility of relatives visiting from Gaza. Relatives' visits from Gaza were suspended after Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit was abducted by Palestinian terrorists and taken to Gaza in 2006. He was released last October in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Israel did not say whether it would free any administrative detainees, but pledged in its statement that an interministerial team would look at prisoner requests and issue recommendations. Around 320 Palestinian prisoners are held in "administrative detention," a security measure Israel defends.

Many of the other prisoners have been convicted of serious crimes, including murder. Palestinian leaders say they should be treated as prisoners of war, something Israel rejects.

Israel says the detentions without trial are necessary because some cases cannot be brought to open court for fear of exposing Palestinian intelligence sources who have cooperated with Israel.

Two inmates who helped to launch the strike, Bilal Diab and Thaer Halahla of Islamic Jihad, were in the 77th day of their fast on Monday. Last week, Israel's Supreme Court turned down their request to be freed from detention without trial but said security authorities should consider releasing them for medical reasons.

A month ago, Israel released hunger striker Khader Adnan, an Islamic Jihad member, amid concern he would die. He agreed to end his fast after 66 days in exchange for a promise not to renew his detention.

Likud MK Danny Danon called the deal to end the hunger strike a "prize for terrorism" in an interview with Israel Radio on Tuesday morning.

"[The deal] is a serious mistake that we will have to pay for," Danon said. "The commitment signed by the prisoners to refrain from terrorist activities from within jail is not worth the paper it was written on."

Danon told Israel Radio that "the decision to continue with the 'summer camp' for security prisoners is outrageous and conveys a weakness which invites more pressure and demands from Israel."

The deal was coordinated by Netanyahu's special envoy for peace talks, attorney Yitzhak Molcho, who met with Abbas in Ramallah on Saturday. The prime minister's military secretary, Maj. Gen. Yohanan Locker, and officials from Jordan and Egypt were also involved in negotiating the deal. The official purpose of Molcho's visit to Ramallah was to deliver a special letter to Abbas outlining Israel's position on peace talks. However, it was later revealed that the envoy also brought with him the agreement reached between both sides to end the hunger strike.

Netanyahu on Monday also approved the transfer of some 100 bodies of Palestinian terrorists buried in Israel to their families in the Palestinian territories.

The Prime Minister's Office said the move was designed to "facilitate confidence-building [with the Palestinians] out of a desire to renew dialogue with [Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud] Abbas."

http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=4343
This highlights why my position on talks with the enemy are something that Israel should not engage in.

We always loose.

But to be an honest and truthful individual, I must say that this time we deserved to loose.

Administrative Detention, is wrong.

People deserve a trial, not to be held without charges because they may do something wrong.

I am no weak kneed liberal, I have at times called for more killings of terrorist.

But if a person has not taken steps towards an act of terrorism, but we think they may.

Do we really do ourselves any good by grabbing them off the street and holding them without charges?

May 14, 2012

Egyptian candidate: Vote for me, I downed Israeli warplanes

Ahmed Shafiq, the former Egyptian air force chief running for president, boasts to have downed two Israeli planes during the War of Attrition • In that war, Egypt lost 109 aircraft, most in air-to-air combat; Israel lost 16.
Israel Hayom Staff

Ahmed Shafiq, former Egyptian prime minister under Hosni Mubarak, bolstering his campaign with his anti-Israel military achievements.

Egyptian presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq's campaign headquarters boasted on Saturday that more than 40 years ago the former Air Force chief had shot down two Israeli planes, as it dismissed accusations of corruption, AFP reported.

Clashes at TAU's 'Nakba Day' rally

Some 200 right wing protestors faced 400 leftist protestors who sought to hold a Palestinian 'Nakba Day' ceremony – commemorating 'disaster' of foundation of State of Israel
Shahar Chai

Some 200 right wing protestors faced off with 400 leftist protestors who sought to hold a Palestinian 'Nakba Day' ceremony – commemorating the "disaster" of the foundation of the State of Israel – at Tel Aviv University, Monday.

Three protestors were arrested after the confrontations. The right wing protestors called out at the organizer of the event, who was arrested: "Traitor!"

Protestors from the right waved Israeli flags and signs that read: "When I came to Israel there was no Palestinian nation," and "I'm proud to be Israeli," they also sang Israeli songs. They also prevented the ceremony's organizers from speaking and booed them repeatedly.

In addition the right wing protestors shouted: "Death to terrorists," and "terrorists out." One of them burnt a cardboard drawing of a Palestinian flag. Another shouted out: "Murderers, where were you when a little girl was killed." The left wing protestors responded with: "You're the murderers."
http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-4228989,00.html
94 Seats in the government, here is your first test.

Cut 100% the funding of Tel Aviv University, for violating the law against Nakba day ceremonies.

If this government fails to cut funds, then how can we trust it to do the correct thing when it comes to other issues of the day, Tal law, Election reform, and most importantly hitting Iran.

May 13, 2012

Leading Egypt candidate calls 'racist' Israel a threat

A leading Islamist candidate in Egypt's presidential election has branded Israel a "racist state" and said a shared 1979 peace treaty was "a national security threat" that should be revised.

also denounced al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden's assassination by US special forces as an act of "state terrorism," in a late Saturday Egyptian television interview.

Abul Fotouh, a front runner in the May 23-24 election according to polls, had earlier described Israel as an "enemy" in a televised debate with his main contender, former foreign minister and Arab League chief Amr Moussa.

In Saturday's interview with the private Egyptian CBC satellite station, he said he had opposed the treaty since its implementation. "I still view the peace treaty as a national security threat to Egypt, and it must be revised."

"It is a treaty that forbids Egypt from exercising full sovereignty in the Sinai and allows Israelis to enter Sinai without visas, while they need visas for Cairo," he said.

The treaty, in which Israel withdrew from the Sinai after capturing it in a 1967 war, does not allow Egypt a military presence in parts of the peninsula.

Abul Fotouh said Israel was "a racist state with 200 nuclear warheads" that continued to pose a threat to Egypt.

A moderate Islamist with support from both hardline fundamentalists and liberals, Abul Fotouh refused to describe Bin Laden as a terrorist, saying the term was used by the United States to "hit Muslim interests."

But he said the killing of the Saudi militant was an "act of state terrorism," and Bin Laden had deserved a fair trial, although he disagreed with Bin Laden's use of violence.

"If a just court sentenced him, then the sentence should be applied," he said.

Abul Fotouh's rival Amr Mussa has also argued for the revision of the treaty with Israel and described its policies towards Palestinians as an Egyptian "national security issue."

The election, which will go into a June run off if there is no outright winner in the first round, should end a military-led transitional period since an uprising toppled president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Mubarak is now standing trial on charges of ordering the shooting of protesters and selling gas to Israel at cheap price. The former air force chief was seen as a close regional ally of Israel, which is unpopular in Egypt.

After his overthrow, an attack by protesters forced Israel to close its embassy and Cairo annulled the controversial gas treaty, alleging lack of payment from Israel.

The Sinai pipeline that exported gas to Israel was bombed on an almost monthly basis by Bedouin militants following Mubarak's ouster.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4228607,00.html

Arab spring, leads to Arab winter.

Sounds so nice, coming from talking heads on the news. They mouth off safe and secure from 6,000 miles away from the Middle East .

Arab Spring.

Brings Arab War.

This is what happens, when you let naive American children into the White House.

The vast majority of Americans are very naive when it comes to the Middle east, but sometimes they are child like in the belief systems they bring with them into the White House.

A new plan approved by the government Sunday to address deepening social welfare problems faced by Israel’s 120,000-strong Ethiopian community was greeted with skepticism and anger by leaders of the sector who called it paternalistic and claimed it is not holistic enough.

“Its just cosmetics,” Michal Avera Samuel, Director of FIDEL – Association for Education and Social Integration of Ethiopian Jews in Israel, told The Jerusalem Post. “We are very angry about this and it just shows how the government plans to continue to make the same mistakes it did in the past.”

According to information released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the new plan will include a significant increase to the housing grants allocated to new Ethiopian immigrants, as well as the creation of a new employment service created to help place Ethiopian immigrants in jobs that suit their skill and educational level.

In addition, some 30 new positions will be created in the civil service in order to increase the presence of Ethiopians in that sphere and the government will appoint two new Kessim, or spiritual leaders, to work with the community.

The new plan will include a comprehensive outreach program to tackle racism against the Ethiopian community, which increasing media reports indicate is growing rapidly in Israeli society in general.

Information provided by the PMO said that the new plan is to be incorporated into an already existing five-year plan established in 2008 and also aimed at improving the absorption of the Ethiopian community. However, that plan, according to Avera Samuel and other leaders of the community, never officially became a reality after its initial budget was slashed and it, in turn, was incorporated into previously existing immigrant absorption programs in each government ministry.

“That five-year plan is not even working properly and yet the government just wants to take something that is not working and revive it,” said Avera Samuel, who joined several other heads of Ethiopian NGOs and Kessim in sending a letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and other government ministers last week urging them to hold off before approving the newest plan.

“We are very angry about what has happened,” stated Avera Samuel. “The Prime Minister promised to include us in the decision-making process and not to continue on with the failed programs that have been used in the past.”

She explained that the community would like to see a more holistic and comprehensive approach to immigrant absorption. The government has not responded to the letter, said Avera Samuel.

Over the past few months, since media reports revealed a growing number of incidents of social and institutionalized racism against Ethiopian Jews, the Prime Minister has held several meetings with both senior and junior leaders from the community.

In announcing the new plan, Netanyahu said that his goal was to address all the issues raised in these meetings.

“I have personally met with members of the Ethiopian community from Kessim to young people and I understand the deep problems facing the community,” he said in a statement. “Today we are presenting a comprehensive program to improve the immigration and absorption of Ethiopian immigrants.”

He said that as well as the new plan, the government would no longer allow segregation in schools for Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian students and will increase efforts to integrate new immigrants into the
mainstream.

“We want to bring a message to the Israeli people, there is no room for racism here,” continued Netanyahu, highlighting that Ethiopian Jews are part of Israeli and Jewish history.

In response to Sunday’s announcement, Ethiopian MK Shlomo Molla said the new plan lacks any innovation and fails on every level to solve the difficult problems of discrimination facing the community.

“Unfortunately there is nothing new that will serve all those young people who protested against discrimination and social problems a few months ago,” he said.
http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=269757

We must do better, we must hear what the Ethiopian community is saying.

The haredi neighborhood continues to fly black flags to mourn the 'sad' day Israel was born, and they're due to stay up until Jerusalem Day
Ari Galahar

Remembrance Day and Independence Day have already been and gone this year, but black flags "mourning" the founding of the state of Israel remain aloft in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighborhood.

Activists from the Neturei Karta sect first hung the flags above an apartment building in Geula's Shabbat Square to protest Independence Day celebrations.

Despite the fact that more than two weeks have past since the festivities, the flags are still flying, and residents say that they were initially unfurled to remain in place until Jerusalem Day (May 20), which marks the reunification of Jerusalem in the Six Day War.
Simple, the police must assault ever home or business flying a black flag and the people need to be deported.

If Tel Aviv University should loose all State funding for marking Nakba, then these anti Israel taliban should be deported.

May 11, 2012

MERF

For those who would like to hear me on the radio, I am very pleased to announce that I will be having a weekly appearance on the Middle East Radio Forum, the show is hosted By William Wolf.

The time of the show is 3pm EDT, 12 am Pacific, 10pm Israel, every Sunday. Please feel free to call in if you have any questions about my weekly comments. If you should happen to miss the show then you can go to the MERF web page and listen to me and other guest in the archives.

May 10, 2012

Students implore Tel Aviv University to nix 'Nakba Day' event

In the first ceremony of its kind at Tel Aviv University, students plan to commemorate the "catastrophe" of Israel's creation • Student union: We do not support event in its current format • University says it approved the ceremony according to the law and its own regulations.
Yael Branovsky

A group of students at Tel Aviv University is up in arms over the upcoming Nakba Day commemorative ceremony, scheduled for Monday. They turned to the Tel Aviv University Student Union to request that the university cancel the ceremony. The student union opposes the event in its current format, and said that it, too, had asked the university to reconsider allowing the event as it would offend the sensibilities of many students on campus.

The ceremony is slated to include a moment of silence and the reading of an alternative version of Yizkor (a Jewish memorial prayer) which will end with the words, "Remember the people of Israel, remember the people of Palestine, remember all people." Among the organizers of the ceremony are student members of the Jewish-Arab Hadash party. The ceremony is the first of its kind at the university.

Nakba Day is commemorated annually on May 15, the day after Israel declared its independence in 1948. The ceremony in question is scheduled for May 14.

In March 2011, the Knesset passed the controversial Nakba Law, which grants the government the authority to block state funds from being transferred to organizations and institutions that commemorate the Nakba.

Im Tirtzu, a nongovernmental organization that works to strengthen Zionist values in Israel, on Wednesday sent a letter to Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and MK Alex Miller (Yisrael Beitenu), chairman of the Education, Culture, and Sports Committee, to act in accordance with the law and cut funding to the university if the ceremony is held. Im Tirtzu claims that the ceremony negates Israel's existence as a Jewish and democratic state.

"Unfortunately, some universities in Israel have turned into breeding grounds for anti-Israel activity," said Ronen Shoval, chairman and founder of Im Tirtzu. "The Knesset and the government need to put an immediate end to these subversive activities."

The university's student union issued a statement clarifying that it has no connection to the Nakba Day event scheduled for next week on campus. "The student union vehemently opposes its existence in the current format. The union has requested that the university reconsider allowing the event to take place because it has the potential to offend the sensibilities of most of the students on campus."

The ceremony's moderator, "Big Brother" star Saar Szekely, who is studying for his master's degree at the university, explained that the ceremony is aimed at understanding the suffering of the Palestinian people. "By recognizing it [the Nakba] we can better understand history," Szekely said.

The university said that it approved the request by a group of students to hold the event. "The process of approving the event was conducted in accordance with the law and university regulations."
If the University allows such a act of treason, then I call on the government of Israel to stop all funding of Tel Aviv University.

Freedom of speech is a G-D given freedom, however it must fall within a certain frame work in Israel.

For several reasons, we must not allow total freedom, first of all we are a nation at war with an enemy that wants to destroy the Jewish people and our ties to the Land of Israel.

Second since Israel is the Jewish state, government funded institutions must reflect the truth of the Torah when it comes to all activities.

If a private person does not want to hold these views fine, but if you receive funds from the government you must toe the line.

May 09, 2012

Iran funding smuggling of Libyan Arms into Sinai – Source

Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat – Egyptian security sources have informed Asharq
Al-Awsat that the security apparatus in Cairo believe that Iran may be
funding the smuggling of arms – belonging to the former Libyan arm – into
the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. The source added that the lack of security
along the Egypt – Israeli border has increased the concerns that a new
attack on Israel could be launched from Egypt’s Sinai.

For his part, an Egyptian government official who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat
on the condition of anonymity revealed that Cairo, over the past few weeks,
has received some indications from Israel and from western countries,
regarding the issue of the Sinai Peninsula. He said “the situation in Sinai
is under control…the [Egyptian] Defence Minister has visited, as has the
prime minister…and we are in charge of deciding what is to be done there.”

All high-level meetings between senior officials over the past few days in
Cairo have discussed the grave situation in the Sinai Peninsula, which has a
strategically important position, being close to the Gaza Strip, Israel, and
the Suez Canal.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr spoke with Director-General of
the Multinational Forces and Observers David M. Satterfield on Monday. The
Multinational Forces and Observers have been responsible for monitoring the
Egypt – Israel borders since the signing of the Camp David Accord.

The Egyptians are also closely monitoring what is taking place on the other
side of the borders, where the Israeli army is preparing to install an
early-warning missile system in the city of Eliat, which has been subject to
rocket attacks by hard-line groups operating from Egyptian territory.

Unidentified armed groups have also been able to thwart Egypt’s export of
gas to Israel, targeting the oil pipelines 14 times over the past months. An
Egyptian security source revealed that the Egyptian authorities have
observed increased activities by jihadist groups that are moving across
Egypt’s border with the Gaza Strip, as well as the Egyptian border with
Israel, via the Sinai Peninsula. The security source claimed that weapons
smuggled from Libya, including BM-21 Grad missiles and other missile
systems, have increasingly appeared in the hands of extremist groups since
the beginning of the year.

As for the suspicions that Iran is involved in the smuggling of arms from
Libya into the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian security source informed Asharq
Al-Awsat that Iran might continue its attempts to incite Egyptian – Israeli
tensions by utilizing hard-line groups operating from the Sinai Peninsula.
The source also revealed that Egyptian authorities had observed Iranian
businessmen and nationals, carrying western passports, entering the country
following the collapse of the Mubarak regime.

It is well known that Iran is facing economic sanctions and pressure by the
international community due to its nuclear program, particularly as there
are suspicions that Tehran would seek to transform a peaceful nuclear
program into a means to produce nuclear arms.

Egyptian – Iranian relations were severed more than 30 years ago due to
their different opinion regarding the issue of war and peace in the region.
An official working in the Iranian Interests Office in Cairo said “we do not
interfere in the affairs of Egypt, and we do not have any links to any
groups in Sinai.”

Egyptian army and police forces have reinforced their presence in the Sinai
Peninsula after military personnel were attacked by unknown elements that
most likely belong to jihadist groups in Rafah and Sheikh Zuwayd in the
Sinai Peninsula.

It is well known that the presence of the Egyptian Armed Forces in the Sinai
Peninsula is restricted according to the peace treaty with Israel, which was
signed following the October 1973 war. Despite the fact that Israel, when
necessary, allows the Egyptian Armed Forces to deploy additional forces to
the Sinai Peninsula, the Egyptians say that they require more freedom to
move and act in Sinai in order to counteract the recent developments. The
Egyptian presidential candidates have all pledged to amend the peace treaty
with Israel in order to increase Egyptian sovereignty and control over the
Sinai Peninsula.

The Egyptian authorities have become stricter regarding the movements of
Egyptians and foreign nationals in the Sinai Peninsula or between Egypt and
the Gaza Strip. Around 150 Arab and foreign businessmen who were on their
way to Gaza to take part in an investment forum were prevented from crossing
into Gaza via the Rafah Border Crossing on Monday. An Egyptian security
official said that the delegation failed to obtain the necessary approvals
to cross into the Gaza Strip via the Rafah Border Crossing, and this is why
they were prevented from attending the forum.

Local officials in Benghazi have claimed to have no knowledge regarding
whether or not Iranian businessmen are financing any arms smuggling
operations from Libya into Egypt. However, some security sources in Benghazi
have revealed that there are links between military battalions with ties to
the Muslim Brotherhood which were formed after the collapse of the Gaddafi
regime in the Cyrenaica region of eastern Libya, and Islamists in Egypt and
the Gaza Strip.

Security sources in the Sinai Peninsula have claimed that the types of
weapons being used by hard-liners “come from Libya”. The source also
revealed that Egyptian authorities had arrested 2 jihadist elements earlier
this week for photographing an Egyptian armed forces security station in the
al-Ahrash district of Rafah city. The source added that it was clear that
the two suspects who had been arrested subscribe to jihadist ideology, and
perhaps have links to the recent attacks on the Egyptian armed forces in the
Sinai Peninsula.

'Kadima is done being centrist party'

Kadima Council head Haim Ramon quits party, says it has strayed from its ideological principles

Attila Somfalvi
Published: 05.09.12, 21:16 / Israel News

Former Knesset Member Haim Ramon, who has been serving as the head of the Kadima Council, has submitted his resignation from the post and the party on Wednesday evening.

Hours after Kadima Chairman Shaul Mofaz was sworn in as deputy prime minister and minister without portfolio, Ramon told Ynet that Kadima has lost its way as the centrist party he had envisioned.

"From an ideological standpoint, Kadima no longer exists for me," he said.

He admitted that perhaps Mofaz's decision to join the Coalition was a natural progression, considering many of its members sought the change.

"Kadima has reverted to being Likud," he added. "Many (members) have wanted this to happen the whole time. They voted out Tzipi Livni… They prefered a Kadima that wants to be a part of Likud. Kadima is done being a centrist party."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4227130,00.html
I think either Haim Ramon or me is crazy.

Likud, right wing?

In what world, is Likud right wing?

Not this world, both Likud and Kadima want to give away my land, this is not right wing.

This is left wing defeatist thinking and both parties are guilty of it.

'Netanyahu forming war government'

Arab newspapers interpret new Netanyahu-Mofaz alliance as preamble for war
Roi Kais

Newspapers across the Arab world could not ignore Israel's political drama and the declaration of a unity government on Tuesday. Benjamin Netanyahu and Shaul Mofaz were described as conniving war mongers and corrupt politicians as editorials declared war was looming.

"Netanyahu is forming a war government," al-Quds al-Arabi's headline cried. "No one knows what goes on through the mind of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on many regional issues these days. One can predict that this man is scheming and planning wars after murdering the peace process with the settlement policy in the occupied Arab territories," the London-based paper said.

The paper analyzed Netanyahu as a statesman and ruled he was "concerned about his status in Israeli history and wants to be remembered as the leader who destroyed the Iranian nuclear program and solidified Israel's nuclear monopoly in the region."

Lebanon's popular as-Safir newspaper chose to address the political drama from a different perspective. Titled "Israeli recklessness," its editorial explained that the "news (of early elections) turned out to be random fraud but it captured the attention of the entire world and became the focus of analyses and estimates that war is looming."

"The country once described as the only democracy in the Middle East is slowly emerging to be nothing more than a yard-sale, not just because some of its Arab neighbors are trying to establish true democratic models but because its current statesmen are behaving like crime bosses."

May 08, 2012

Men In White: The Raid on Sabena Flight 571

Posted on May 8, 2012
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What’s so special about Flight 571?

On May 8, 1972, a flight from Belgian airline Sabena set off from Vienna towards Tel Aviv, named Flight 571. Twenty minutes after takeoff, it was hijacked by four terrorists–two men, two women–from the Black September terror group. This set off a series of events leading up to Operation Isotope–one of the most daring rescue operations in the history of Israel.

Following the terrorists’ attempt to break into the cockpit, Reginald Levy, the plane’s captain, kept his cool and attempted to relax his passengers by entertaining them through a loudspeaker conversation with the terrorists, about everything from navigation to sex.
Captain Reginald Levy, Sabena Flight 571

Captain Reginald Levy, who piloted the Sabena Flight 571. "I talked about everything under the sun, from navigation to sex."

Aboard the plane, the terrorists were demanding the release of 315 Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails, claiming they would blow up the plane if their demands were not met.

Captain Levy sent in distress signals, which were received by Israeli Security Minister Moshe Dayan. Dayan immediately began negotiations with the terrorists, while simultaneously planning a covert rescue operation: Operation Isotope.

The Sabena flight reached Tel-Aviv, landing in Lod Airport (now Ben-Gurion Airport). Captain Levy was sent out to show the waiting Israelis a sample of the explosives on the plane, to convince them of the threat. Aboard the plane, passengers were crying or hysterical.

A team of 16 elite commandos (Hebrew: Sayeret Matkal) approached the grounded aircraft in white overalls, disguised as airplane technicians. They convinced the terrorists that the aircraft was in desperate need of repairs.
Sabena Flight 571

Elite commandos disguised as airplane technicians in white attempt to board the aircraft.

Within ten minutes of boarding the plane, the squad of elite commandos managed to kill the two male terrorists, arrest the two female terrorists, and neutralize the threat to the passengers. Nearly all civilians on board were unharmed, except for three, one of whom later died from her injuries. Among the commandos were Ehud Barak and Benjamin Netanyahu–both of whom eventually became Israeli prime ministers.
Sabena Flight 571

Ehud Barak, third disguised airplane technician from the left holding the handgun, walks off the plane after successfully completing the operation with his team.

The surviving female terrorists were sentenced to life in Israeli prison, but were later released in the prisoner exchange deal following the 1982 Lebanon War.

Black September members were also involved in the notorious 1972 Munich massacre, where 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually murdered.
Black September Munich Massacre

Black September terrorists during the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre of the Israeli Olympic team

Black September operatives were also targeted in Operation Spring of Youth, which involved elite Sayeret soldiers sneaking into Beirut dressed as women.

What happened to the plane after the hijacking?

The same airplane that was victim to the hijacking was flown for an additional five years before being sold to the Israeli Air Force (IAF). The IAF ended up using it to carry out spy missions.
Benjamin Netanyahu Operation Isotope

Current PM Benjamin Netanyahu is congratulated by former Israeli President Zalman Shazar during a ceremony honoring the elite commandos who rescued the hostages from the Sabena Flight 571.

May 07, 2012

No elections: Kadima to join government

Late-night political drama: Early elections averted as Likud, Kadima agree on unity government. Shaul Mofaz appointed deputy PM, to take part in key security meetings. Coalition to promote haredi draft
Attila Somfalvi

No elections, Kadima joins government: In a dramatic move, the Likud and Kadima parties agreed on a unity government early Tuesday, averting the prospect of early elections.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kadima Chairman Shaul Mofaz finalized the surprising unity agreement hours before the Knesset was expected to approve its own dissolution and set September 4th as the date of the next elections.

PM Netanyahu announced that Kadima Chairman Shaul Mofaz will be appointed deputy PM and minister without portfolio, while also being included in Israel’s security cabinet. Mofaz told Kadima members the party will likely get more portfolios later on, apparently in 2013. As part of the deal, Kadima will also chair the Knesset's Finance Committee.

Senior government officials said they had no early knowledge of the plan to form a unity government. Key coalition figures Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) and Eli Yishai (Shas) endorsed the deal, Netanyahu said.

Both Netanyahu and Mofaz convened their respective factions, which approved the unity deal. The PM informed Likud Knesset members that as part of the new coalition agreement, a new bill that would regularize the issue of haredi enlistment into the IDF will be tabled by the end of June. The Kadima-Likud deal also calls for changes in Israel’s government system and approval of the next state budget.

Mofaz told Kadima members that the “unprecedented deal” would allow the government to produce equality in carrying the burden of military service.

“We did a great thing for the sake of the State of Israel,” he said. “I don’t want government portfolios, even for myself.”

Following Tuesday’s drama, the next elections will likely be held, as planned, in October 2013.

Senior Likud officials estimated that Netanyahu decided to lead the unity move after realizing the extent of public support for changing the law on haredi enlistment to the IDF. Meanwhile, Mofaz endorsed the deal after seeing Kadima plummeting in the polls and heading for a disastrous showing in the September elections, which have now been averted. Both leaders were also interested in undermining the chances of rookie politician Yair Lapid, who was set to win more than 10 Knesset seats in the elections according to the polls.
WOW!!!!!!!!!

Classic Israeli cliffhanger politics.

Bibi has played this like a master.

I have to think on this move for some time before I can determine if it is good for Israel or not.

Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch accepted on Sunday the recommendation of Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino and Border Police Commander Yoram Halevi to appoint "Cmdr. S" as head of the elite Yamam Unit for Counter-Terror Warfare.

S. is in his 40s and a father of four children living in the center of the country. He has a bachelor's degree in Middle Eastern history and beat out six other candidates for the role of Yamam commander. He will be replacing "Cmdr. B.," who is being transferred to serve in a different classified role in the Israel Defense Forces.

For S., who began his career in the Israel Police in 1985 as a Yamam fighter, the appointment means he has come full circle. He initially served as a company commander and an operations branch officer in the IDF Golani 12th Battalion before his transfer to Yamam. Following his role in Yamam, S. was transferred to Israel Police Unit 33 (Unit Gidonim), an elite national unit that tracks felons. In 2008, he was promoted to commander of the Tel Aviv Police Central Unit. Following this role, he left the police to pursue a year of academic studies.

One friend described S. as "a diligent and introspective officer who can be trusted with both secrecy and compartmentalization. He has the ability to lead Yamam on missions that are confidential and critical."

In interviews here, officers and experts said Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Israel
Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, is mulling several options for
augmenting the special operations forces under his command, including
creation of an airborne insertion and extraction unit built upon a squadron
of U.S. V-22 Ospreys.

The prospective new unit or, alternatively, a strengthened Shaldag
(Kingfisher) airborne commando unit, would ultimately be integrated into the
IDF’s planned Depth Corps, a joint special operations command expected to
become operational this year.

The IDF announced plans to establish Depth Corps last December,
characterizing its “primary task” as “extending joint IDF operations into
the strategic depth.” Elite units to be consolidated under the new command
include Shaldag, Sayeret Matkal (General Staff Reconnaissance) and Flotilla
13.

The joint special operations command and the prospective new unit, which
would not become operational until later in the decade, come in response to
the drastic increase in the number of special missions conducted by the IDF
in recent years.

In a rare interview published April 25 in Yediot Ahronot, Israel’s largest
daily newspaper, Gantz acknowledged a “tens of percent” increase in special
missions operational tempo as compared to previous years.

“You almost won’t find a point in time that nothing is happening somewhere
around the world. … It’s not my invention, and I am not taking credit. I am
simply accelerating all those special operations,” Gantz said.

The article noted that under Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, the former IDF chief
of staff who hailed from the Golani infantry, the Israeli military was
postured for two distinct conditions: war and planning for war. Under Gantz,
a paratrooper and former Shaldag commander, the IDF has added a third
condition: preparing the infrastructure for war through special operations
in enemy territory on a routine basis.

Amir Bohbot, a military analyst here, estimated that the IDF has more than
doubled the number of special operations conducted since the years prior to
the 2006 Lebanon War. In a late March online report for Israel’s Walla
website, Bohbot said current and former special forces officers have warned
that the routine pace of special operations forces has begun to stress
already-overtaxed commando units.

According to Bohbot, IDF’s shadow army targets two axes used by terrorism
groups for smuggling weaponry and other contraband, primarily from Iran,
into Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Israel’s military censor strictly forbids
reference to areas from which Israel operates, but smuggling routes are
well-documented.

The first known route is a seaborne path that originates in the Gulf of Oman
and extends around the Arabian Peninsula into the Red Sea, after which
illicit cargo is offloaded for overland smuggling through Sinai or — less
frequently — transferred to ships passing through the Suez Canal into the
Mediterranean.

The second is a direct air corridor between Iran and Syria, after which
cargo is delivered by ground transport or ship to Lebanese ports.

In an interview earlier this year, a senior Navy officer attested to the
accelerated rate of special missions conducted by Israel’s sea service.

“The war between wars is a huge part of what we do, and I’m not willing to
go into details. Suffice it to say we’re heavily involved in missions in all
kinds of places … and when we do these missions, first and foremost we need
to know how to bring our people back safely.”

Sources here said detailed organizational plans, budgetary requirements and
the operational concept driving the new joint Depth Corps will be submitted
to Gantz in June. By August, the IDF General Staff hopes to conclude its
multiyear budget through 2017, with initial funding for the V-22 squadron
and new naval capabilities likely to be included.

Over the past year, the Israel Air Force (IAF) has intensified its contacts
with the U.S. Marine Corps and other U.S. counterparts on the V-22, and has
sent pilots to fly the tilt-rotor aircraft. Earlier this month, IAF
Commander Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan made his own flight in the V-22 from
Hurlburt Field, Fla., home of U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command.

In an interview last year, Nehushtan said the IAF was developing “a deep
acquaintance” with what he called a unique platform.

“It’s compelling because it combines abilities of an assault transport and
an assault helicopter for flexible, rapid deployment of forces,” Nehushtan
told Defense News. “But it’s new territory, and its capabilities are not yet
widely understood throughout the IDF.”

At the time, Nehushtan said the IAF included ground force officers on its
V-22-related visits “for educational purposes in the hope of pushing it
forward in the upcoming multiyear plan.”

A U.S. source said the U.S. Navy and the Pentagon’s International Security
Affairs bureau are encouraging Israel and other allies with operational
requirements for the V-22, in large part to compensate for the 24 aircraft
cut from the U.S. multiyear procurement plan.

“No doubt, the V-22 will be a game-changer for Israel. ... It also will help
contain unit costs that will grow since they cut us down from 122 to 98,”
the source said of aviation procurement cuts in the Pentagon’s
five-year-plan.

He added, “We’re starting to see serious interest there that could translate
into a [letter of request] by early next year.”

The V-22 is built by Chicago-based Boeing and Textron’s Bell Helicopter
unit.

Who cares?

Court to decide Rachel Corrie case in August
By JOANNA PARASZCZUK
07/05/2012
Family blames IDF for US activist’s ’03 death in Gaza.

The Haifa District Court announced on Sunday that it will give a verdict in August in a civil suit filed by the family of Rachel Corrie, the American pro- Palestinian activist struck and killed by a bulldozer in Gaza.

Corrie, 23, from Olympia, Washington, died in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on March 16, 2003, when a bulldozer struck her during a protest by pro-Palestinian group the International Solidarity Movement.

Corrie’s family filed the civil suit against the Defense Ministry in the district court five years ago. They claim that the IDF either deliberately killed Corrie or is at least guilty of gross negligence.

The state maintains that it bears no responsibility for Corrie’s death and that she should not have been in a war zone. IDF officials also say that the bulldozer operator who struck Corrie did not see her.

Judge Oded Gershon will read the verdict in the Haifa District Court at 9 a.m. on August 28.

The court was expected to give its verdict last month, but that was postponed as a result of delays in filing closing arguments.

Senior IDF officials including Col.

Pinhas Zuaretz, the former commander of the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade, have testified in the trial.

Immediately after the trial ended in July, Corrie’s family alleged that important evidence, including several surveillance tapes from the time Corrie died, were withheld as part of a coverup over the circumstances of her death.

Among the evidence the family claims has been withheld from the civil suit are surveillance tapes that show color footage of events before and after Corrie’s death.

The color footage was used in a Channel 2 documentary, but the IDF has denied that the color footage exists, the family claims.

IDF officials did submit as evidence a black and white surveillance video with footage from immediately before and after Corrie’s death.

The family also claims there are discrepancies between a photograph of the bulldozer that they say killed Corrie taken by International Solidarity Movement activists, and a bulldozer shown on footage presented by the IDF.

They also allege that a surveillance camera in the area where Corrie was killed was turned to face away from the scene five minutes before she died.

The Defense Ministry has dismissed as baseless the Corrie family’s claims, saying that the state has transferred all evidence to the plaintiffs and no additional evidence exists.

http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=268949
Let me be very clear, who cares?

I don't care if the IDF covered up evidence relating to the death of this ISM punk.

I wish the IDF would kill a lot more of these ISM punks.

The fact that the court in Israel even took the case, is beyond belief to me.

This judge should be thrown off the bench, for taking the case.

ISM and it's members should be declared terrorist organization and it's members hunted down.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will have to wait to have his "service for all" proposal brought before the Knesset plenum.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will not be able to submit his alternative to the Tal Law for approval during this elections period, he learned on Friday.

The disappointing news was delivered by Knesset legal adviser Attorney Eyal Yinon, who decided to prevent Lieberman's party, Yisrael Beitenu, from submitting the proposal because, according to Yinon, the Knesset can be convened during an elections period only for a no-confidence vote, if 61 MKs support the move.

Lieberman's proposal is described by Yisrael Beiteiu as an alternative to the Tal Law and stipulates that any Israeli citizen who does not serve in the military or national service will be deemed ineligible for welfare payments from the government.

In a historic ruling in February, the High Court of Justice abolished the Tal Law, which was drafted to encourage young ultra-Orthodox men to voluntarily enlist in the IDF but in reality allowed tens of thousands to dodge military service. In a majority ruling of six to three, the panel of judges, headed by former Chief Justice Dorit Beinisch, ruled that the law was unconstitutional and could not be extended in its current form after its expiration at the end of July.

The court ruled that an alternative should be presented. However, according to regulations, once there is an official announcement about new elections, the legislative process will be put on hold until after Israelis go to the polls.

Lieberman said last week that Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin promised him that if he obtained the support of 61 MKs, he would convene the Knesset plenum even during the elections period. Yinon, however, said, "A debate concerning private legislation during this period is only possible if the government demands it and the Knesset speaker does not have the authority to contradict the regulations, even with the approval of 61 MKs, and convene the Knesset plenum for that purpose."

The opinion of the legal adviser means that Lieberman's "service for all" proposal will have to be shelved until after the elections are held, unless the government intervenes.

Despite this setback, Lieberman intends to bring his proposal to the Ministerial Legislation Committee for approval on Sunday.

Last week, Lieberman met with representatives of the Forum for Equality in Sharing the Civic Burden and asked them to pressure government ministers to support his proposal.
I will be in shock if the government allows this bill to go forward until after the election.

I think part of the reason for new elections is to kick the Tal law down the road like an empty coke can.

Why run the risk of upsetting members of the government, when you can go to elections. This takes pressure off og Bibi right now and who knows when under the new government it will come back to the table.

May 04, 2012

MERF

For those who would like to hear me on the radio, I am very pleased to announce that I will be having a weekly appearance on the Middle East Radio Forum, the show is hosted By William Wolf.

The time of the show is 3pm EDT, 12 am Pacific, 10pm Israel, every Sunday. Please feel free to call in if you have any questions about my weekly comments. If you should happen to miss the show then you can go to the MERF web page and listen to me and other guest in the archives.

Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner to Remain in IDF

It was reported on Friday that IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz decided this week not to end Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner's military career.

Eisner's career has hung in the balance since he was filmed striking a Danish ISM activist in the face with his rifle at the end of a heated two-hour confrontation on April 14.

He was suspended pursuant to an investigation into the incident and subsequently removed from his post of deputy commander of the Jordan Valley Brigade.

The decision to remove Eisner from his post was unpopular with Israelis, who sympathized with both the difficult situation he was faced with and his assertion that "doing the job comes before looking good."

Senior political and military officials had raced to pillory Eisner in the media before the investigation into the incident had been completed.

However, following public backlash, Gantz said last week, "I'm not ready to decide his fate and end his career, but I cannot simply ignore the incident, either."

"The IDF is a large military force and there are many events in many places and people can make mistakes. We work hard at it, but this incident is not representative of the IDF, or of Lt. Col. Eisner," he said in a softening of his previous stance.

The Hebrew-language daily Maariv reported Eisner will retain his rank and be appointed as the deputy commander of the Tactical Training Center in Tze'elim.

In his new position he will be responsible for training battalions of infantry and armor in battlefield simulations.

After his removal as deputy commander of the Jordan Valley Brigade, Eisner said he was considering retiring.

"I may retire from the army," Eisner said. "I am hurt emotionally and must consider whether to continue."

Eisner’s future became even more uncertain when a private conversation in which he leveled sharp criticism at senior officers – which was taped by a third party – was aired on Channel 10.

"His comments were unfortunate, irrespective of his reasons," Gantz had said.

Senior military sources said Eisner's desire to continue serving despite being censured "demonstrated his deep commitment to making a contribution in the IDF."

The incident happened on April 14 when a group of foreign and Arab cyclists sought to block a main road near Jericho to protest Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria.

Critics of Eisner's dismissal from his post – through he remains in the IDF with the same rank – were quick to note the video of the incident uploaded to the internet was clearly edited in such a way as to cast Eisner in the worst possible light.

The altercation came at the end of nearly two hours of heated confrontation between protesters and soldiers, but the video began with Eisner striking the activist.

Eisner subsequently told military investigators that two of his fingers had been broken in an attack by the Danish campaigner before he retaliated with his weapon.

A medical examination confirmed at least one of Eisner's fingers was indeed broken during the demonstration.

A second video released on April 20 – which critics say was also clearly edited – showed Eisner striking other activists with his rifle.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/155457#.T6PWvlLczoI

Telephone poll of a representative sample of 500 adult Israeli Jews carried
out by New Wave for Yisrael Hayom on 1 May and published 4 May 2012.
Are you for o against demolishing building in settlements in Judea and
Samaria?
For 24.1% Against 51.2% Don't know 24.8%

May 03, 2012

Druze Sword Battalion

Guest post by Captain Jameel Murad, a company commander of new recruits in the Sword (‘Herev’) Battalion, comprised entirely of Druze soldiers:

Every Druze child gets to hear about the Sword Battalion from birth, through the stories told by our parents and siblings, most of whom served there in their younger years. From the arduous training to the many operations which made IDF history, as well as the successes in the field—there’s a special sort of pride we take in this unit.
Cpt. Jameel Murad

I enlisted to the army seven years ago, like many of the Druze my age. The experience was so amazingly unique, although I didn’t appreciate how much until I was sent out to my first commanding course. As a new recruit, you already know everyone, including the commanders who can both train you and empathize with you on the most personal level. That’s what makes the battalion so special – the soldiers, from the highest rank to the lowest, know each other from home.

There are a couple landmarks I’ll never forget – the ones which make it all worthwhile to be a combat soldier in the battalion. For instance, during my beret march, we went through all our villages in the north, and our parents walked alongside us, chests puffed out with pride.

Later on I took part in the Second Lebanon War. That was a time where the abilities of the single soldier, the fierceness and professionalism of the commanders and their men alike, brought us great success.

Today I’m a company commander of a company of new recruits, and I see things from a different angle. My soldiers are already the third generation after the Compulsory Service Law [which made service compulsory for Druze]. The soldiers understand the nature of their service and come to us with tons of motivation, especially for combat positions – they understand it’s an integral part being an Israeli teenager who wants to help protect his or her country. They see we’ve taken up the glove of defending our homeland, which gives back to us as much as we give up for Israel.

The Sword Battalion is an important starting point for a young Druze to progress in their life and “make headlines” in the army and the country at large. It’s an incredible battalion which I’m proud to be a part of.

56 years ago today, 30 Druze soldiers joined the ranks of the IDF – the first generation of official recruits. Since then 83% of Druze youth enlist to the IDF’s – more than the numbers of Jewish youth. The “Sword” (Herev) Battalion, comprised almost entirely of Druze soldiers, specializes in the Northern Command and is currently training in the Golan Heights.
Got to love these guys.

Israel's medical tourism industry

Medical tourism has become a major money maker for Israeli hospitals. According to data from recent years, annual revenues in Israeli hospitals from medical tourism amount to NIS 400 million (roughly $120 million.)

Medical tourism is considered a lucrative Industry because, on average, Israeli hospitals charge 30% more from foreign patients than they do from Israeli patients.

A good medical reputation and relatively lower costs as compared to other hospitals around the world draw patients from all over the globe to receive medical care in Israel, and the arrangement is a win-win situation – they get good treatment and hospitals get to boost revenues.

But lately, a debate has surfaced around the question of whether the treatment of foreigners comes at the expense of treatment for Israeli patients.

Yet the reports on the subject barely refer to the thousands of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and West Bank who receive medical treatment in Israel each year.

May 02, 2012

In The Game

The IDF has issued emergency call up orders to six reserve battalions in light of new dangers on the Egyptian and Syrian borders. And the Knesset has given the IDF permission to summon a further 16 reserve battalions if necessary, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.

An IDF spokesperson said intelligence assessments called for the deployment of more soldiers.

According to 2008′s Reserve Duty Law, combat soldiers can be called for active reserve duty once every three years, and for short training sessions during the other two. Rising tensions between Israel and Egypt and the ongoing unrest in Syria caused the army to ask the Knesset for special permission to call up more soldiers, more often.

The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee approved the request recently, enabling the IDF to summon up to 22 battalions for active duty for the second time in three years. Already, the army has called up six of them.

“This signifies that the IDF regards the Egyptian and Syrian borders as the potential source of a greater threat than in the past,” the former deputy chief of staff, Dan Harel, said on Wednesday night.

“The army needs a better ‘answer’ than in the past to the threat,” he said, citing Egypt’s deteriorating control over the Sinai, marked by an upsurge in Bedouin smuggling of weapons and other goods. He also spoke of the growing threat of terrorism from Sinai, as exemplified by an infiltration last August in which eight Israelis were killed.

The Syrian situation was also highly combustible, Harel said, “and it could explode at any moment… and pose a direct challenge to us.”

Maariv said the army had to decide whether to cancel training sessions for enlisted soldiers or to summon additional reserve units, and it chose the latter; canceling training would mean soldiers would not be prepared in the case of an all-out war.

The IDF spokesperson said all the letters summoning soldiers for reserve duty were sent after the IDF received the approval of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for the larger call-up.

One of the reservists summoned told Maariv he hadn’t expected his call-up letter until next year. Leaving home for more than three weeks is something you have to prepare for, he noted.

Activists from the Reserve Soldiers Forum said they were disappointed time and again by the way the IDF treated its reserve soldiers. The law was supposed to help reservists, but it has been repeatedly bypassed and ignored, they said. “At the end, all that will remain of the law will be its title.”

Egyptian presidential frontrunner Amr Moussa tells supporters in Egypt, "If Israel respects the peace treaty with Egypt, we will too."
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The Camp David Accords "died and were buried long ago," Amr Moussa, the leading frontrunner in Egypt's upcoming presidential race, said on Monday, further extending his anti-Israel rhetoric.

During a meeting with supporters in the Sohag region in southern Egypt, Moussa, who previously served as secretary-general of the Arab League, told the crowd the accords were outdated, saying, "The Camp David Accords do not exist anymore ... They are historic documents that belong on the shelf as a reminder since the purpose of the accords included the establishment of an independent Palestinian government, while today we speak of establishing an independent Palestinian state," he said.

However, the former Arab League secretary-general then moderated his comments on the agreement signed in 1978, whose aim was to solve the Palestinian issue and establish a cease-fire between Israel and Egypt on the basis of Israel returning the Sinai Peninsula to Cairo. The Camp David accords led to the signing of the Egypt-Israel peace treaty in 1979.

Moussa stressed that "as long as Israel respects the peace treaty with Egypt, we will also respect it, even though the main document that governs the relationship between Israel and the Arabs is the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative."

This is not the first time Moussa has come out against the peace treaty with Israel. He has previously said that "the Camp David agreement is not worth the ink and paper it was written on and signed since it has already expired."

http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=4155
So what should Israel do?

The first mistake was to allow Egypt to build up it's military in the Sinai, in the hopes that they will end terrorism and smuggling.

I have been told by a source on the scene that as of last weekend, the Egyptian military has placed better equipped soldiers on the border. Soldiers with ceramic armor and night vision, which will make them a more effective fighting force.

But what if they turn on the Israeli soldiers, that in some cases are just mere yards away from these enemy troops.

Tell Egypt to remove the Egyptian military from the Sinai, and roll in with the IDF to the Suez.